Religious background of parents, parenting practices and children’s moral behaviour: The case of the First Baptist Church, Tema, Ghana.

Abstract

Although parenting is a crucial role in society, studies on the effect of religion in family life are hard to find. Consequently, this study, using participants of the First Baptist Church of the Ghana Baptist Convention, sought to evaluate the influence of the religious backgrounds of parents on parental practices and the moral development of children. With the qualitative interpretive research design adopted for the study, 12 participants comprising parents and children of the First Baptist Church of Ghana were conveniently selected and interviewed, and the data subjected to content analysis. The study found that the religious backgrounds of parents does not only influence their parenting goals and parenting practices but also informs the moral upbringing of their children. However, family complexities such as single parenting and parents with different religious backgrounds were seen as marring the effect that parents’ religiosity should have on their parenting as well as the moral development of their children. Hence, the study recommended that religious institutions should endeavour to enhance the parenting skills of their members through the organisation of child development programmes. Again, it also recommended that religious leaders and families should not look upon persons who marry from different religions with disdain or as wrongdoers. Rather, religious leaders should help them to understand the points of divergence and convergence between the two religions that have been married so as to empower them to help their children to develop the right attitudes towards life.